Improvement in foot-rests for chairs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HEAD, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOOT-RESTS FOR CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,637, dated January 12, 1875; application filed Ju11e27, 1873. v

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HEAD, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents an end elevation, partly in section; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation, and

'Fig'. 3 a detached bottom side view, of a portion of the chair, each with my improvement..

This invention relates to chairs which have a foot-rest arranged in front of the seat to support the feet and extremities of the lower limbs While sitting or reclining in the chair.

AThis invention consists of a hinged foot rest, A` provided with an actuating-spring, C, having an arm, d, working in a guide, g, to automatically turn or fold the rest beneath the seat B of the chair; also, 1n the chambered back or recess D, in combination With, and made to receive Iand conceal, the legs C of the foot-rest when turned beneath the seat; also, a button, E, in this combination, to hold the extended foot-rest against the action of the spring and prevent raising the forward end of the unoccupied chair.

The chair may be constructed in any wellknown form, and with a xed, or a jointed and reclining, back, and with curved or other common vsupporting or holding braces F.

To the front of the seat-frame, and to the inner edge of the bar LI secure one part of the hinge or hinges b, and the other leaf is fastened' to the under side of the foot-rest, so as to get the proper swing, position, and folding action of the rest, both when extended, as seen in Fig. 1, and also to bring the legs C into the recess D when the rest is folded beneath the seat, as shown in Fig. 2. Between the end bars HV is a xed rod, f, and on this rod is a coiled spring, o, one end fastened to the rod, and the other end portion forms an arm, d, extending beneath the foot-rest, and

working in a loop or guide, g, projecting from the under side ofthe rest. The back ofthe chair is constructed with a recess opening through the under side or bottom, about opposite the back legs K of the chair. This open bottom recess is for the express purpose of receiving and concealing the legs O of the foot-rest, although the chair may be made with a thinner back, or the foot-rest may be made longer, so that, when folded under the seat, the legs C would pass up beyond vor to the rear of the chair-back, and be exposed, and, therefore, objectionable and less desirable than the construction shown in the drawings.` To the under side ofthe front bar L of the chairI apply a button, E, to hold the rest when extended, or to prevent the action of the spring raising the forward side of the unoccupied chair.

In practice'the chair is tipped back and the foot-rest unfolded or extended, as seen in Fig. l, when the button may be turned, as also shown in Figs. l and 3. To turn the footrest under, turn the button as in Fig. 2, tip the chair back, and the action of the spring on the guide g will instantly turn or fold the foot-rest beneath the seat, with its legs concealed in the recess D.

. I claim as my invention- 1. The hinged foot-rest, provided with an actuating-spring, c, having an arm, d, working in a guide, g, as described, to automatically turn or fold the rest beneath the seat of the chair.

2. The button E, in combination with theA spring-actuated and folding foot-rest, for the purpose and in the manner set forth.

3. A hinged and spring-actuated automatically-folding toot-rest, in combination with, and folding under, a chair, as set forth.

et. A hinged and automatically-folding footrest, in combination with a chair constructed with a recess in its back to receive the inverted legs O of the rest, as described.

THOMAS E EAD.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. CRANE, WILLIAM R. CRANE. 

